Pawprints
by Silently Singing Wolf
Summary: Hope is Bella's cousin. She moves to Forks after her dad dies. Her mom, Mary, is Charlie's sister. Hope finds out that her dad and grandfather were vampire hunters, making her the most powerful vampire hunter the world has ever known. She gets imprinted on by Seth. Can she love and fight at the same time? This is an alternate universe. Bella is Jacob's imprint. Give it a try!


I was both excited and nervous.

Moving from L.A had its ups and downs. I would miss my friends and family, but moving to Forks was totally worth it. Seeing my cousin - Bella Swan - again was going to be fun.

Not that she acted the same anymore. As soon as she saw Jacob Black, her current boyfriend, she changed a lot. For the better, of course.

From what I heard, Jacob and Bella were an amazing couple. I had never met Jacob, but I knew I would meet him as soon as I got there. Besides, I felt like I already knew Jacob. Every time I talked on the phone with her, she wouldn't shut up about him. It was sweet, don't get me wrong, but it was a little annoying.

To be truthful, I think I was just a bit jealous of her and Jacob. I had never had a boyfriend - never even had a real crush - and I really wanted that. Someone to love, hold tight, and know that he would never let me go. That's what I wanted more than anything in the world.

I mused about how Bella acted when she talked about Jacob some more until I heard my mom, who was Charlie's younger sister, say, "Hope, honey, we're here." I looked out my window to the amazing greenery. Tree after tree after tree. It was gorgeous! I thought I saw some movement in the trees. I shrugged to myself. Wild animal, probably.

"It's so beautiful," I breathed to my mom. She smiled and nodded, lapsing back into the forever lasting silence. I didn't mind the silence, though. Instead, I looked at my mother more closely.

She was a very beautiful woman. She had pale skin, short, light brown hair, full lips, and sad, honey-brown eyes. Her heart shaped face always seemed a bit sad, because my father had passed away only a few months ago. My father, Zachary Aquila, was the one who always paid the bills. So after he died, we went bankrupt and moved to Forks to start a new life. I hadn't known my father that well, since he was usually being deployed somewhere, but I knew he had been a great guy.

We came up to Uncle Charlie's house just a few minutes later. He was standing just outside of the door, almost jumping for joy. He had short black hair, average build, and unusual brown eyes. There was something a lot different about them than regular brown eyes. I got out and ran to him, giving him a big hug. I hadn't seen him since I was six.

"Hey, Uncle Charlie!" I exclaimed, my face getting buried in his shirt. He looked at me and grinned.

"Hi! Jeez, Hope," he said, laughing, "look how big you've grown! How old are now? Seventeen? Eighteen?"

I smiled. "Fifteen."

"No way!" he remarked incredulously.

"Way," I answered.

My mom came up to both of us, smiling a sad smile. "Good to see you, Charlie." My uncle looked at her and grinned, then pulled her into a crushing hug. "Good to see you, Mary!"

"I hope you don't mind," he added. We looked at him with confusion. "We've been invited to Billy's! Bella will be there with Jacob."

I nodded enthusiastically. "Can't wait! Right, Mom?"

"Actually," my mom answered sadly, "I need to unpack and catch up on some stuff. I'll be fine," she added, seeing my uncle's expression. He nodded grimly.

"Alright. Call me if you need anything." He turned to me and smiled. "Is it okay if we take the cruiser?"

"Of course." I shuffled around a bit. "Right now?"

Uncle Charlie grinned. "Right now."

...

We pulled up to Billy's house on La Push. An older man in a wheelchair came out to greet us, smiling widely. He had long, black hair, and was wearing a black t-shirt with a white button-up shirt on top of it. I suddenly recalled that Billy was Jacob's father.

"Hey, Charlie!" he exclaimed full-heartedly. He looked over at me. "You must be Hope!"

I nodded shyly. "Yes, and you must be Billy. Or Mr. Black. Whichever you prefer!"

Billy chuckled. "Billy is fine. Come on in, come on in."

Bella was sitting next to someone whom I presumed Jacob, looking at him with complete adoration. Jacob was doing the same, though he looked a little worried. Bella's face lit up when she saw me.

"Hope?" she asked - no, yelled - at me. She began to squeal. "I cannot believe it! It's you!" She hugged me, and I hugged her back, grinning. Bella had light brown hair. She also had Charlie's brown eyes, and a stunning smile.

I answered, "Yes, Bella, it is me." Noticing the guy who must have been Jacob walk up, I added, "And you must be the famous Jacob!" I tilted my head back slightly. Dang, he was tall. Around 6'4" or 6'5".

"Yes, but I prefer to be called Jake," he said in his bass voice, reminiscent of a growl. I smiled. "Of course, Jake."

Jake put his arm around Bella. "Well, I guess I should introduce you to everyone." He looked up, obviously deciding on who to start with. "Well, that's Sue." He gestured to a woman standing with who had to be her daughter. And the names dragged on. Sam Uley, Paul LaHote, Jared Cameron, Embry Call, Quil Ateara V, Collin Littlesea, Brady Fuller, Leah Clearwater (who was Sue Clearwater's daughter), and he mentioned someone being outside. Seth Clearwater - who was Sue's son and Leah's brother.

I nodded. "Got it."

"Really?" Jake asked, grinning. "It's a lot of names to take in."

I shook my head in disagreement and decided to get a drink. "Where're the drinks?"

"Outside," Bella answered, gesturing to the back door. I nodded and went out back where I saw Seth, who had his back turned to me.

"Hi," I greeted him. "You must be -" I cut off as I saw his face. The most beautiful, most handsome face I had ever seen in my life. We made eye contact and he completely froze.

"Aw, great," I heard Jake say in the background. He didn't say it sarcastically, but he didn't say it kindly, either.

Seth was about 6'2". He looked to be about twenty, but Jake had told me that he was only sixteen. He had black short hair and beautiful dark brown eyes. As soon as he smiled at me, my knees almost buckled.

"Into the forest," I heard Sam Uley say. "Now." Seth looked at him, then looked at me with a sheepish grin.

Jake looked serious as he turned to me. "Stay here." He quickly kissed Bella goodbye, and Bella looked slightly worried.

I began to get a little worried myself. I turned to Bella. "Where are they going?"

"Probably to get some fresh air," she answered quickly. I raised an eyebrow. "But we're already outside?"

"Maybe the air wasn't right."

Right. I didn't know what was going on, but I was going to find out.

...

I had eaten a burger. Charlie and Billy talked about sports a lot, which held no interest to me. I made small talk with Sue, and when I asked her about Leah, she told me that Leah had to go somewhere. Strange. She kept looking at me fondly, smiling way too much to be socially tolerable.

The moon was directly over us, illuminating the trees. I kept my gaze on the forest, not paying attention to the conversations around me.

Trees are so beautiful, I thought to myself. They're so elegant, so beautiful, yet so sturdy. They always moved, whether it was with a strong rustle, or with a slight movement with the wind, they were always moving.

I saw a shadow play with the moonlight, disturbing the moon's pattern on the trees. I stood up and moved a little closer to get a better look. Holy cow, that was a huge shadow. I squinted to make out the figure.

"Hope, do you need glasses or something?" Uncle Charlie asked, chuckling slightly.

I looked at him for a moment. "No!" I glanced back at the trees, only to find that the shadow was gone. Maybe I did need glasses.

"We should go home to your mother," my uncle continued. "I don't think she's doing so well."

Billy looked concerned. "Is she sick?"

I turned away, facing the forest again. I didn't need to be apologized to again, not after all the sorry's I got after my father's death. Why do all people say sorry? It's not like it's their fault.

"Uh, no," Uncle Charlie answered. "Actually, Zachary passed away two months ago." I heard a whine in the distance. It didn't sound human, but it sounded like the noise my dog would make when he was hurt or in trouble.

"Hope," Billy said sadly to me. Oh, no, here it comes. "I'm sorry about your father. It couldn't've been stopped. I hope you're doing okay."

I looked up as I felt my cheeks get wet. Was it raining? I wiped my hand across my cheek to find tears. I was crying, I realized. "I-I'm fine." My voice came out shaky. "It's my m-mom I'm worried about." I felt a sudden pull in my chest, so strong that I almost collided on the floor. The pull was telling me to go to the forest, to see Seth. I stood my ground, however.

Billy nodded understandingly. "Time heals all wounds." I nodded back at him, turning in the direction of the cruiser. "Hope?" I turned back to him. "Have you registered for a high school yet?" I shook my head. School started in a couple of weeks, too. "I'd suggest enrolling in La Push's high school."

"But you have to live on the reservation?" Uncle Charlie inquired.

"I can make a few calls to allow her to enroll."

Uncle Charlie nodded. "Thanks, Bill."

"Thank you, Billy," I said. I was grateful. I wondered briefly if I would be in the same class as Seth, though he was a year older than me. I had skipped fourth grade to fifth, so I had a good chance of being in one of his classes. That made my heart skip a beat. Seeing him five days a week would be a dream come true.

...

I woke up to rain. The pattering on the roof lulled me easily to sleep. It was ironic, really, that Bella used to sleep in this room, and she used to hate the rain.

I tried to remember my dream. There was a gray and white wolf, only it was the size of a horse. It stood on a hill, gazing down at me with intelligent brown eyes. It began to walk up to me slowing, measuring my reaction carefully. I smiled, and it smiled toothily back. I began to stir into consciousness, and Seth Clearwater stood where the wolf had been.

"You're never alone," he told me fiercely. Then I had woken up.

I rolled out of bed, falling down with a loud thump.

I heard my mom call, "Hope? Are you okay?"

"Yeah," I shouted back, "just fell out of bed!" I stood up and began to get ready for the morning that was sure to be interesting.

...

Once I was done, I ran down the stairs, almost tripping once I got to bottom. I shook my head at myself and walked into the kitchen.

"Good morning!" my mom said in a sing song voice. "Your uncle had to leave for work, but he told me to tell you that Billy invited you to a bonfire tonight, but he wants you to come over now."

I asked my mom, "Can I go?" I was really excited to see Seth again.

"Sure," she answered, though frowning a bit. "I'll call Bella to see if she can take you."

I said, "Thanks, Mom! You're the best," while hugging her tightly.

She laughed and hugged me back. "Are you sure you want to wear that, though?" Mom gestured to what I was wearing: a white t-shirt, bootcut jeans, and my ankle boots.

I looked at her and raised an eyebrow. "What's wrong with what I'm wearing?"

"I just thought you'd like to wear something nicer," was her reply. Mom walked over to the house phone and dialed Bella's number.

"Good morning, Bella!"

I began to stomp up the stairs, hardly listening to their conversation.

"Yeah, would you mind taking Hope to the bonfire?... Oh, okay, good!"

I shut my door and began to rummage through my closet. I pulled out a black flowing skirt that went to my knees, and I pulled out a blue V-neckline shirt. My hand went up to my ponytail, sliding it out of its position. My hair fell down to my tailbone. I grabbed one of my favorite necklaces: a crystal shaped as a treble clef. Dad had gotten me it when I was just six. I put it around my neck and clasped it, then I got dressed.

"Now, you have to do something about your face," I told myself. I walked into the bathroom and flicked on the light. I put on a little foundation and a little lip gloss; I really wasn't a fan of make up.

After I was done with that, I ran down the stairs again.

"There," I declared, "I'm decent!" My mom nodded her approval before I even finished my sentence.

She told me, "Bella's on her way." The doorbell rang. "Or she's here right now," she corrected herself. Mom walked over to the door and opened it. "Hey B- Oh, you're not Bella."

"Nope," Jake chuckled. "Though I've been told that my resemblance to her is startling." Seeing my mom's face, he quickly said, "I mean, I'm her boyfriend, Jacob. Bella got busy."

My mom nodded, looking a little worried. "Okay then." She turned to me. "Got your phone?" She had a warning look.

I nodded. "Yes, Mom, I do." I began to walk towards the door. "See you later, Mom."

I walked out and stopped. It was a beautiful Ford GT. Jake had a beautiful Ford GT.

"Like it?" Jacob asked. I nodded, unable to speak. "Well, get in!"

I climbed into shotgun.

"Buckle up!" He turned on the car and turned sharply, already going over fifty miles per hour. "This won't take long."

...

We got to Billy's in no time. Billy greeted me, saying that everyone was inside. I walked in nervously. The first thing I did was search for Seth, and was relieved when I saw his beaming face. Somehow, I knew that he knew I was searching for him. I felt a surge of happiness hit me like a brick wall, making me smile widely back at Seth.

"Hey, everyone!" I said cheerfully. I heard murmurs of people saying hi. The conversations paused for a moment as everyone scrutinized me. I heard a low warning growl and the conversations resumed.

Seth walked over to me, still beaming, though I noticed his face had been protective and hard before the beaming mask resumed.

"Hi," he greeted me. "You're Hope, right? Sorry I had to leave so suddenly."

I smiled. "Yes. Oh, it's fine!" I felt really weird, as though I could do anything in the world as long as he were there.

He grinned back at me. "So, wanna get something to eat? It's going to be a while before the bonfire starts." Seth looked slightly apologetic.

"It's okay," I reassured him. "That way I'll have time to get to know everybody better."

He nodded and said, "I'll introduce you to everyone, even if you probably already know all their names."

We began to walk around the room. "Hope," Seth said, gesturing to two boys in front of me. One boy was tall, though not as tall as Jacob or Seth, and the other was about Seth's height. The boy who was taller had curly hair, and the other had hair like Seth's. "These boys are-"

"Embry!" he interrupted Seth. "And this is Quil." Embry nudged the shorter guy, Quil, grinning. Seth looked slightly annoyed, while the two boys grinned at me.

I smiled and introduced myself, "Nice to meet you, Embry, Quil. I'm Hope."

They looked like they knew all about me. "We know!" they replied in unison, which made me laugh. Seth nodded that they should leave, and we made our way around the room. Though I knew everybody's name because of Jacob, I felt like meeting all of them.

"Okay," Seth said, "moving along." He walked up to another person, and I could see the admiration and respect in Seth's eyes. "This is Sam. Sam, this is Hope."

Sam smiled warmly at me, his arm around Emily, his wife. "Good to finally meet you. I'm Sam, as Seth said." He was a little shorter than Jacob, but he was just as muscular. He had black hair - just like the other boys. I felt my bones shake slightly at the sound of his voice. There was power there - unmistakable power that my body could sense.

Seth looked at me uneasily, touching my shoulder quickly and putting his hand back down. I felt electricity shoot up my arm, and an instant calm spread through my body.

Everything's okay, Hope, I heard in my head. It'll all be explained soon.

I opened my mouth in shock. I looked at Seth, eyes wide. He looked slightly startled, too. Sam looked at us like we'd just committed a murder.

"Well," he said calmly, "better eat. Bonfire is about to start."

What had just happened?

...

I ate a few things, and when I announced that I was finished, Seth looked at me like I was crazy.

"No wonder you're such a twig!" he exclaimed, poking me in the ribs, making me giggle. "You don't eat enough!"

I looked over at his plate. It was a mountain. "It's a wonder how you look so..." hot. I stopped, looking away. Everybody was grinning and staring at me, waiting for me to finish.

Seth prompted, "So...?" He was smiling ear to ear.

I muttered so he could only hear: "So... handsome." I changed the word so it sounded like I hadn't been staring at him all afternoon.

Everything went dead silent. Paul, Sam, and all the other boys suddenly started laughing loud, making me jump. Even Seth was laughing, making me put on a fake glare. "What's so funny?"

"You!" he answered between laughs. "You're so adorable!" I turned bright red, making him laugh harder.

Later, we all sat around a fairly large fire. I sat next to Seth on a log, staring into the dancing flames. I sat shoulder to shoulder with him, and he seemed perfectly content. He saw a tall, lanky, elder man lean forward. Everybody became silent, watching him intently.

"That's Old Quil, Quil's grandfather," Seth explained to me under his breath.

Old Quil looked at me, and in an ancient, grave voice, said, "We owe an explanation, Hope Aquila." I looked slightly startled that he knew my last name; I had never told anyone here my last name. "We are different from the rest. Different in many ways."

I sat frozen. What did he mean? Different? I glanced at Seth's face for an explanation, but his face was blank.

"You see," Old Quil went on, "we have blood of the wolf. We are descendants of the wolf. A long time ago, one of our people agreed to join one with a wolf to save his people. That is where we began.

"We are not werewolves, but shapeshifters. Real werewolves are a lot scarier than we are." A few chuckled rang out, but they quickly died down. "When we see our true soul mates-" he glanced at me and Seth "- we imprint."

Jacob quietly added, looking at Bella, "It's not like love at first sight, really. It's more like gravity moves suddenly. It's not the Earth holding you here anymore. She does. You become whatever she needs you to be, whether that's a protector, or a lover, or a friend."

Old Quil smiled and nodded. "Yes, Jacob." He turned to me. My heart had to be going a million miles an hour. "You, Hope, are Seth's imprint. You are the exact match for Seth and his wolf's personality. The only reason we are here is because of the cold ones." A few growls were heard. "We protect humans from them. They are the reason we phase, and we hate them. There are some vampires here, actually. They're called the Cullens to most, but to us, they will always be the cold ones.

"However, you're even more different than all of us. In ways even my people do not understand. You have certain powers."

I asked, "You mean like how Seth talked in my head?"

Old Quil answered, "No. You did that," while slightly grinning.

I raised an eyebrow and decided to try it out again. I looked at Seth and concentrated on contacting him.

Can you show me? Your wolf? I inquired.

Later, after the bonfire, he acknowledged, and feeling my nervousness, he launched a feeling of reassurance into me.

"I guess I did," I said. "I didn't mean to the first time. What am I?"

"What?" Old Quil asked, completely taken aback.

"What am I?" I repeated.

Old Quil looked slightly uncomfortable. "We can't tell you."

I looked at him, incredulous. "You can't tell me?"

"No."

I felt a sudden sadness and anger bubble up inside. I heard a growl, and turned to see Seth looking outraged. "You can't tell her?!"

Looking unfazed, he answered, "No."

"Then who can?" Seth demanded. I put my hand on his arm and allowed a feeling of gratefulness and calm explode from my fingers. I felt him calm down.

I asked in a soft, quiet voice, "Then who can?" I looked around at the pack around me, and I stopped at Bella's face. She looked slightly worried, whereas Jacob looked calm.

"Her father," Old Quil answered.

I felt a dagger shoot through my spine. My father is dead. He'll never come back. He won't hug me again. He won't spend another day with me. I'll never feel the excitement of waiting the hour for him to come home. I began to cry, turning slightly towards Seth. It was a natural instinct. He immediately wrapped his arms around me, pulling me into a tight hug. Reality hit me hard at that moment.

"Go, now," Old Quil dismissed the others. They all hesitated, but when he yelled, "Now!" they all scurried away. I slowly pulled away from Seth, sitting in my previous position. He kept his arm around me, though.

Billy, who had stayed, began to talk. "We're sorry, Hope." Ouch. Another sting. "But it was only your father who could have told you. We swore never to tell."

"Wait, you knew my father?" I asked. "Oh, and did you swear before or after he died?" I was pretty sure that was the most bitter I had ever been before. I couldn't help it, though.

It's okay. This is hard for you. You can be as bitter as you want! Seth said in my head.

"Before," Billy answered, flinching slightly. "And yes, I knew your father. He was my best friend. I can't believe he was killed."

"He wasn't killed. He was wounded, and died in his sleep trying to recover," I corrected him.

The elder man looked miserable. "No, Hope. He was killed."

I was so afraid to ask my question that I scooted closer towards Seth, who tightened his arm. "By who?"

"By a vampire."

Seth began to shake violently as my feeling of being crushed hit him. "I'll kill whoever killed Zachary! I swear it!"

I put my hand on his arm to try and calm him again, but the results were opposite of last time's.

"Calm down, Seth! You don't want to phase next to her!" Billy yelled at him. Seth began to stop shaking almost instantly.

"Who was it?" he growled through his teeth. I didn't say anything. I was in too big of shock. A vampire killed my father. Sucked the blood right out of him. No wonder we weren't provided with a body. We had been told that his wounds were so great that they couldn't move him.

Old Quil answered Seth: "We're not sure. But Hope, your father was very special, just like you. He had powers, too; that's why he decided to join the army. To use his gifts for good, fighting for his country.

"Your father would fight vampires very often. There were many during his battles. His abilities provided him with enough strength to kill a vampire. In many ways, he was a vampire hunter. He never went out looking for them, but rather he fought them when he came across them." I tried to imagine my dad fighting a vampire in an epic battle, and failed miserably.

"A vampire slipped past Zachary and went for his throat. The vampire successfully sucked all the blood out of him. Having the powers to defeat vampires has a few flaws. Your blood, filled with magic, is the sweetest, most delicious smelling blood for vampires. Of course, there is a reason for that. You have sweet smelling blood on purpose. You need to attract vampires in order to kill them. Make sense?"

I nodded slowly. "So you're saying that I'm a vampire hunter from my father's side?"

Billy confirmed my question. "Yes. However, your grandfather from your mother's side was a vampire hunter, too. It skipped Mary, and went to you. You are the most powerful vampire hunter in history. You have additional abilities, because you have two vampire hunter's blood running through your veins."

Seth had been so silent that I nearly forgot he was here. "Do we ignore her abilities or train her for combat? I do not feel comfortable with her facing a vampire."

"Train her, of course! Even if she never goes into battle, Seth, she needs to know how to control her powers. But Old Quil and I cannot train her," Billy said. "It has to be the person who trained your grandfather and your father. There is a man and a woman around these parts. The man teaches you how to control everything that deals with attacking. He improves your stamina, your speed, your strategy, and your physical strength. His name is Theodore, by the way, and he his over two centuries old. Don't tell him I told you that. He's really defensive when it comes to his age.

"The woman teaches you all about magic, spiritual strength, and helps you become one with nature and yourself. Magic is very important, as is your physical strength. You need to master them, because with one wrong move, you could seriously injure somebody. Her name is Ireleth."

Seth asked, "Where are they? And can I keep an eye on Hope?"

Old Quil answered, "Don't worry, son, they're really close. You'll be able to protect her and still be able to run patrols."

I began to chew on all the information Old Quil and Billy had given me. "How will I train if school starts in less that two weeks?"

"Well, you'll be going to La Push high school, so you can train after school. I have to warn you, though, vampires may catch your scent and follow you home. That's one of the reasons I suggested that you go to La Push high school. Most of the pack still goes there, so you'll be under great protection. It's your mother I'm slightly worried about."

Jake came out of the trees, startling me. "We'll have Brady or Collin patrol around their house daily. Then Paul or Jared can switch off at night."

Seth nodded. "That sounds good." I looked at him quizzically. "Jacob is the Alpha. Sam is his Beta. Paul and I tie for third in command. Leah, my sister, is in fourth. Jared is in fifth. Embry is in sixth. Quil is in seventh. Collin and Brady both tie for eighth. They're the youngest, being fourteen. Oh," he added, "the pack members that go to La Push high school are: Leah, Embry, Collin, Brady, and myself. Paul, Sam, and Jacob usually are the ones that patrol while we're at school. Which brings me to wonder, what grade are you in?"

"Eleventh," I answered him.

"Aren't you only fifteen?" he asked.

I sighed. "I skipped a grade in fourth. Went to fifth."

Seth began to smile, radiating the sense of pride. "That's great! I'll just have to make sure we get the same exact schedule!"

I grinned back at him. "That would be amazing!"

"Ehm," Billy interrupted. "It's getting pretty late. Hope, I want to see you around this time tomorrow."

So late? It had to be around eleven. "Okay. I should probably get going."

...

"I could take you home," Seth said quickly as we were leaving. "I already have my licence."

I smiled at him. "That would be great! I still want to see your wolf, though!"

He smiled back at me, feeling my enthusiasm. "My - well, my mom's - car is over there."

I looked over to where he was pointing and saw a black Jeep. "Nice car."

"Thanks."

We climbed into the car, and Seth turned off the radio. I clicked on my seatbelt, glancing over at Seth. "Aren't you going to put on your seatbelt?"

He snorted, rolling his eyes. "Wolves don't need to put on seatbelts."

"But you'll get pulled over!"

"Hope, I could probably hear a cop from a mile away. Just saying," he added, seeing my expression.

I muttered something about us getting into a car crash and he rolled his eyes again. "Wolves have very quick reflexes, and we heal pretty fast."

I didn't answer. I peaked out the window. "Where are we going?" This wasn't the way home.

"You want to see my wolf, right? Can't have people around."

"Oh."

The car came to a stop. I cautiously stepped out of the car and noticed we were on part of the beach. The sea calmly came up to us, and then backed away again. The moon smiled at us, its reflection making the water look like a mirror. The water made a soothing sound, much like a lullaby.

I breathed to Seth, "It's so beautiful here."

Seth nodded, and I felt him behind me. I turned around. He smiled at me. "Yeah, it is."

I suddenly felt very self-conscious; Seth was scrutinizing me with such intensity. He suddenly turned away from me, sighing. "You wanted to see my wolf?"

I nodded. "Yes!"

"Just...just wait there," he told me, backing away slowly. He's afraid that I'll run away screaming, I realized. I managed to nod.

A second later, a gray colored wolf emerged from the trees off to the side. I gasped. The wolf was so beautiful. It had to be a little taller than an average horse. Despite its size, I was not afraid of it. I absolutely loved the wolf.

"Seth?" I asked. Of course it's Seth, I told myself mentally.

The wolf nodded its huge head, and smiled. I smiled back. "You're such a beautiful wolf!" Hearing Seth's protest of being called 'beautiful,' I corrected myself, "I mean you're so majestic!"

The wolf nodded in approval, then I heard in my head, Thanks, Hope, but you should see yourself.

I blushed a little and responded, Thanks, Seth, you're too sweet. Seth walked closer to me, and leaned his head over my shoulder, hugging me. I hugged him back without hesitation.

This is just so perfect, Seth said, content. It's so amazing that I can be in my wolf form and still talk to you. That gets annoying, you know, when my grandfather or Billy talks to us and we can't respond.

Must be. I'm scared, Seth. I don't know what's going to happen. I don't even know if I want to be a vampire hunter. If they say I have power that I might not be able to yield, what if I hurt someone?

I felt disagreement from Seth. I don't think so. I won't let you, because hurting someone else would be hurting you, and I won't let that happen. He backed away from me a little, lowered his head, and looked me in the eyed. They were his eyes. His beautiful, warm, inviting eyes that held so much intensity.

Thank you, Seth. I can't believe we only met yesterday.

I've been waiting for almost two years to imprint. Imprinting is what gives the wolf peace. Without imprinting, we get angry easily. With imprinting, we're calm all the time, because we know that we've found a reason to live. Besides killing vampires.

I shuddered, imagining Seth get close to them. What are vampires like?

I felt Seth get very protected, and growling slightly, he answered, They are as white as snow, and more beautiful than any normal human on Earth. Not a good beautiful, like you are, but an otherworldly beautiful. They have this sweet stench that makes my nose want to fall off. They are incredibly fast. However, we are faster. They have strength, too much strength. And you will never, ever, ever see or be near one.

Good, because I prefer to be warm than cold. I smiled at him.

Okay, I better phase. I have to get you home. He turned around, ran away, and a few seconds later he was back.

"Alright, let's go!" he said, easily grabbing my hand.

I know I just met you, but I'd go anywhere with you, I thought to myself, not letting Seth read them. I'd go to the ends of the Earth for him.

...

It was all too soon when we made it to my house. We both got out of the car slowly, reluctant to leave each other's company.

"Well," he said, "I guess I'll see you tomorrow."

I sighed. "Seems like forever."

Seth smiled. "I'll be patrolling around your house. That way I'll be able to keep you safe."

We were inches apart. I could feel his hot breath on my face. He slowly began to move down, and I thought my heart was about to burst from my chest. His lips finally met mine, letting all his emotions pour out on our very first kiss. I felt electricity shoot through my body. His heart was pounding wildly against my upper chest. At first, I thought it would've been awkward kissing him, with him being so much taller than me, but it felt perfect. I didn't want to kiss anyone else. As his heart began to pick up even more, mine did as well. He was the perfect one for me, and the kiss was absolutely perfect. Seth pulled away just as Uncle Charlie opened the door.

"Welcome back, Hope!" he greeted me cheerfully. "Oh, hey, Seth!"

Seth nodded back at him, smiling. "Hey, Chief! Just dropping off Hope."

Uncle Charlie answered him, "I can see that!"

After a few moments of awkward silence, Seth finally said he had to go. I whispered a soft goodbye to him, and he left. I walked back inside the house, said hi to my mom, then announced that I was going to bed.

In the distance, I heard a long, comforting howl. Seth was nearby.

"Charlie, those wolves are getting awfully close," I heard my mom say. I froze at the top of the stairs.

Uncle Charlie said, "Oh, they won't bother us," while shaking his head.

"Yeah," I called down the stairs. "Wolves are practically harmless, and Mom, you know I love wolves."

"I guess. As long as they don't come here, then we'll be okay."

I crawled under the warm sheets of my bed, and heard a little bark out of my window. I groaned and got up, sliding the window up.

Seth's dark white wolf head was a few inches from my window. Sleep well, he told me, then turned around and ran away. I shut the window, smiling.

I knew that I would sleep well as long as he were near.

...

Whew, that took forever to write! Next chapter will be up in a few weeks. I tried to make this one long. Anyway, I'm not quiting on Sun's Rays Through a Storm. Far from it, actually. I just wanted to write a Twilight fanfic, as I have wanted to in a long time. Anyway, thanks for reading this!


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